Lift catch



April 23, 1929. J. B. Russ ET Ax.

v INVENToRs. J B. E us s c 5. 5m Z7:K

I M A TTORNEYS Patented Apr. 23, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN B. RUSS, OF SHELTON, AND CLARENCE E. SMITH, 0F NAUGATUCK, CONNECTI- CUT, ASSIGNOBS TO THE BASSETT METAL GOODS COMPANY, INC., OF DERBY, CON- NECTICUT, .A CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT.

LIFT CATCH.

Application lcd September 8, 1927. Serial No. 218,176.`

Our invention relates to lift Catches for handbags and other containers.

An object otl the invention is to provide a novel and improved liit catch of this character.

Another object of the invention is to provide a lift catch in which the component parts thereofmay be easily assembled by hand so that this work may be performed by the employees at their homes instead of at the factory.

Another object of the invention is to provide a litt catch which is so constructed that when open it has no uncovered upstanding parts, and when closed tightly closes the opening' through which the catch member extends.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of this character which is of strong, durable and cheap construction.

The several features of the invention, whereby the above mentionedA and other objects may be attained, will clearly under stood Atrom the following` description and accompanying drawings, in Which,

Figure 1 is a side view of the upper portion of a handbag to which our improved lijtt catch has been applied;

F ig. 2 is a lon itudinal sectional view of the lift catch an la portion ot the bag, the lift catch being shown in closed position;

Fig. 3 is a similar view but showing the lift catch in open position; n

Fig. @l a view in perspective of the lift catch before it is applied tothe bag; and

Figs. 5, 6 and 7 are detailviews in perspective ot' con'iponent parts, respectively,` of the litt catch.

In the drawingsourimproved lift catch is shown applied to a common type of handbag 2 having the usual inner andouter in verted U-shaped frame members 4 and 6 that are provided with the usual registering slots 8 tor receiving the catch member of the device.

As shown, the component parts of the lift catch consist of a hase 10, a lift member 12, a catch member 14, and a leaf spring 16.

The base 10 is made of sheet metal and is provided with a top Wall 18 having a clearance slot 20, side Walls 22,` end walls 24, and depending tongues 26 for securing the base member to the outer frame member 6. The

top Wall of the base has downwardlyand outwardlv beveled end portions 28.

The lift member 12 is made of sheet metal and is provided with a top wall 30, side walls 32, and end walls 34. The top wall of the lift member has downwardly and outwardly beveled end portions 36 corresponding to the beveled `portions 28 of the top i of the leaf being beveled oif. The lower end of this outer end Wall adjacent the tongue or leaf 38 is provided with a slot 40.

The catch member 14 may be of a common construction and has its upper end riveted or` otherwise secured tothe under side of the top wall ot' the lift member' 12. i

The leaf s )ring 16 has a. bend 17 extending longitudinally and engaging the top wall of the lift member 12 when thelatter is closed. `The leaf spring 16 `is provided with a clearance slot 39 through which the catch member 14 extends. One end ofthe leaf spring is curved upwardly and its other end is slitted to provide tongues 41 that are bent in opposite directions.

In assembling the parts of the lift catch, the outer securing tongue 26 is passed through the slot 40 in the end Wall of the litt member 12, the appel-'end of the tongue being enlarged to substantially the width of the slot `10 as indicated at 42, and the portions ot the end wallbetween this enlarged end and the side Walls of theibase being cut away as indicated to provideclearance for the leaf 38. It may` benoted that this tongue and slot connection between `the liftomember and base provides a pivotalconnection between them. The lower end of the catch member 14 is passed through the clearance slot 20 in the top wall of the` base. The

slitted end of the leaf spring is then applied to the beveled end ofthe leaf 38 and the other end of the spring is snapped into position against the opposite end wall of the base, .the catch member 14 extending through the slot 39 in the leaf spring. y

After the parts of the lift catch have been thus assembled, the tongues 26 of the base are inserted through Suitable, apertures in the outer frame member 6 and bent inwardly and upwardly against the under side of the trame member in the usual manner so as to securely hold the lift catch in place.

lVith this construction it will be apparent that upon closing the litt member 12 so as to insert the catch member 14 through the slot S in the .trame members, the spring 16 will `lirmly but yieldingly hold the litt member 12 down over the base 18, and upon raising the litt member 12 the spring likewise will hold the lift member in this position, the tree end of the spring being shifted te opposite sides of its dead center with relation lto the tongue or lea't 38 and the point oit engage ent ot the bend 17 ot the leaf spring `ith tbe top wall of the lift member. Also as the litt member approaches its open position the spring will act to snap it into this position, the upward movement ot the litt member being limited by the engagement of the head of the catch member with the under side of the spring as shown in Fig. 3 oi" the drawings. It will also be apparent that betere attaching the lift catch to the bag trame the .lift member, base and spring may be easily assembled by hand so that this work may be performed by the employees at their homes instead oi at the factory. The litt catch when in open position presents no uncovered upstanding parts that are liable to be accidentally struck by the hand of the user or accidentally bent, and when the litt member is closed the open,- ings through which the catch member extends aretightly closed.

As will be evident to those skilled in the art, our invention permits various modifications without departing from the spirit thereof or the scope of the appended claims.

What we claimis:

l. A lift catch for bags and other containers having, in combination, a base hav ing means comprising a tongue 't n"securing it to the container, a litt member having a slot through which said tongue extends to provide a pivotal connection to permit the litt member to be swung upwardly,r trom and downwardly upon the base, a ,spring ttor holding the lift member in either ot said positions, and a., catch carried by the lift member.

2. A lift catch tor bags and other containers having, in combination, a base having side and end Walls and means comprising a tongue depending from one of the end Walls for securing the base to the container with the lower edges of the side walls engaging the container, a lift member having a top, side and end Walls, one of said end walls having a slot through which said tongue extends to provide a pivotal connection to permit the litt member to be swung downwardly over and upwardly trom said base., means comprising a spring for holding said lift member in either of said positions, and a depending catch secured to the under side oit the top wall oii said litt member.

3. A litt catch for bags and other containers having, in combination, a base having a top, side and end walls and means comprising a tongue depending from one of the end walls V'for securing the base to the coi'itainer with the lower edges of the side walls engaging the container', a litt member having atop, side and end walls, one ot said end walls having a slot through which said tongue extends to provide a pivotal connection to permit the litt member to be swung downwardly over and upwardly from said base, and having an inwardly projecting leali' arranged substantially horizontal, a leal spring having one end abutting the inner end ot said leaft and its otherl end abutting the opposite end wall of said base and snitably arranged to hold said lift member in either ot said positions, and a depending catch secured to the under side of the top wall ot' said lift member, said top wall of said base having a clearance opening through which said catch member extends.

4i. A litt catch for bags and other containers having, in combination, a base :tor attachment to the container, a lift member pivotally mounted on the base, a catch carried by said member, and a spring for yieldingly holding the litt member and catch in either open or closed positions, one end of said spring engaging a projection on the litt member and being suitably arranged with relation to the axis of said lift member to cause it to pass through a dead center as the litt member is moved from one to the other oil said positions.

5. A lift `catch for bags and other containers having, in combination, a base for attanlunent to the container, a litt member j aivotally mounted on the base and having a projection, and means tor yieldingly holding the lift member in either open or closed positions, said means having a portion engaging saidprojection on the lift member and being suitably arranged with relation to the axis ot said lift member to cause said portion to pass through a dead center as the litt member is moved from one to the other ot said positions.

ln testimony whereof, we have signed our names to this specification this 29th day ot' August, 1927.

JOHN B. RUSS. CLARENCE E. SMITH. 

